This year we have discussed in depth and reflected on the complex theme of spaces. fisici…ma solo.
The paradox that our society is experiencing is almost surreal: we have abandoned immense spaces in order to agglomerate in cities or metropolises and in this way the quality of life has decreased, pollution has exceeded the limits and the fragility of the territory has increased (which is the cause of cyclical disasters). Technical skills, advanced research and openness to change are the bets of the next generations.
It is for this reason that creative thinking must help our society by creating a process of rethinking and redefining inhabited spaces, as well as abandoned, malfunctioning and obsolete spaces.
These themes will be told in the formats we consider most suitable as events or performances, but also concrete actions. We will formulate proposals for the reuse or rehabilitation of existing spaces, rethinking new forms of sociality and aggregation.
However, our analysis opens not only to the physical space that is built, full/empty or characterized by beauty/ugliness, but it also wants to reflect on that "other" space that is in each of us and needs its representation.
SEMINAR FARE ARTE negli ANNI ’70.
STORIES of ARTISTS, GALLERISTS, COLLECTORS
UDINE - October 16, 2020
The initiative took place as part of an exhibition called "Territorio Attivo" that the cultural associations FARE and Furclap had planned in the space-time from January to the entire month of May 2020. The appointment of 16 October 2020, the most important of the entire event, concerned the artistic development in the historical and cultural context of the 1970s.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
That historical period had different controversial aspects and dynamics and in any case it was a time of transition.
We came out of the years of the economic boom, but with large segments of the population still connected to rural areas. Well-being had relieved with relative speed the economic and social wounds that the war had generated, in any case they still harbored hatred and misunderstandings that in the 1970s would have emerged in the tragic nature of terrorist events whose memory is still very much alive today.
This was not the same throughout Europe. May '68 broke out first in California (Berkeley University) and soon after in Paris it did not have a long following, but in Italy it found vital lymph that soon animated revolutionary pockets that involved large sections of society: the hot autumn of '69, the long years of terrorism (piazza Fontana in Milan ('69), Gioia Tauro ('70), Peteano ('72), Brescia ('74), the massacre of Italicus ('74), numerous kidnappings and "gamblings" and so on until the 1980s (Ustica, Bologna…).
Terrible moments of civil "war" and great manifestations of solidarity, political passion, cultural innovation (the feminist movement of '77, the first steps towards divorce, abortion and many other civil rights achievements) were shared.
REFLECTIONS IN THE ARTISTIC AREA
In this extremely varied and exciting climate, Art (in all its expressions) found fertile humus and great civic participatory will.
It was in those years that penniless artists, unknown and accustomed to a life of "fricchettoni" (Italian term meaning "freak") began to experiment with new ways of making art. The first performances began, the first installations and it was the explosion of "concept art".
It was a period, all in all, short but of such intensity and creativity that in the following decades (but above all starting from the 90s) that historical moment acquired an important role in the history of art and social evolution and still today maintains a position of particular interest in the elaborations of historians and intellectuals.
But how could poor artists live? To whom could they propose their works, often incomprehensible, difficult to interpret, provocative, extreme…?
Some brave gallery owners (often also artists themselves) invested their money to set up exhibition spaces, places to perform performances and installations.
It is true that in those years the artists performed almost for free and there were no bureaucratic and organizational taxes that we have to undergo in our days; however, these "patrons" have, in fact, allowed the evolution of an extremely fertile and unprecedented artistic period.
STORIES OF ARTISTS, GALLERISTS, COLLECTORS
Two experiences of particular historical-artistic importance were highlighted.
Galleria del Cavallino - Venice
DeMarco Art Foundation - Edinburgh
The Galleria del Cavallino , founded in 1942 by Carlo Cardazzo, highlighted the artistic avant-garde of the twentieth century and in the 70s, it was one of the first experimentation centers of video art.
Gabriella Cardazzo (Carlo's daughter) on Carlo's premature death, together with his brother Paolo, continued his father's work and Cavallino became an international reference point for contemporary art.
Molti furono gli artisti che vi transitarono, allora perlopiù sconosciuti, pionieri che che in seguito diventarono celebri e punti di riferimento per l’arte contemporanea, tra questi Lucio Fontana.
Gabriella Cardazzo has also published a book dedicated to the Cavallino Gallery, whose new publication and version is due out in February.
DeMarco Art Foundation in addition to being a prestigious art gallery, it was and in part still is, a point of reference for artistic experimentation in Scotland, but not only.
Richard DeMarco, the founder, is a lively eighty-year-old who with inexhaustible passion continues today to experiment and observe the innovative proposals that Art offers. An unpublished video interview with Richard De Marco will be included in the program of events.
EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES
Young people were brought to the attention of the extraordinary experiences that many artists, then unknown, who later became icons of art, saw as protagonists in the 70s. By contextualizing the historical facts and investigating the connections with the socio-economic situation, the change in the figure of the artist and the value of the artistic product from the 1970s to the present day have been mentioned.
Sono stati presentati alcuni artisti che hanno rivoluzionato l’arte negli ultimi cinquant’anni, come Lucio Fontana, Joseph Beuys, Marina Abramovic.
Finally, a reflection was started on how art, starting from the 1970s, underwent such transformations that it has become a business and consumption tool nowadays.
An unprecedented path with significant didactic-training contents for students who are preparing to face a final exam and start a new university path.
A condurre l’iniziativa è stato chiamato il giovane neolaureato in Conservazione Beni Culturali, Tommaso Piani il quale, dopo avere introdotto l’argomento in modo circostanziato, ha sollecitato le analisi e le riflessioni degli importanti ospiti quali Gabriella Cardazzo (galleria del Cavallino) e la curatrice Cristina Burelli Martincigh (libreria Martincigh).
The following took part:
The architect Ofelia Croatto who traced a historical and chronological path of the figurative art of the period, the actress Daniela Gattorno and the musicians Cristina Spadotto and Giovanni Floreani (the latter also carried out the interview with Richard Demarco at the Summerhall of Edinburgh, partially broadcast on the screen in the hall). The event took place inside the ancient Caucigh venue in Udine.
